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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Just when you thought the Sixers have stabilized a bit, Eddie Jordan costs the team a chance to extend its season-high winning streak with another head-scratching decision.

Down 50-41 at the break to the Raptors last night, Jordan decided to go "small" and went with a three-guard lineup to start the second half, inserting Royal Ivey into the lineup for Elton Brand.

The results were disastrous and the Sixers quickly found themselves down by 23 before Jordan finally came to his senses. The team rallied from there and actually deadlocked the game late before falling apart in the final seconds.

Brand, like a number of Sixers players, has been treated like a yo-yo by Jordan this season and wasn't happy.

"I don't call the shots," Brand said after the game. "I just go out there and play the best I can. I didn't think it was my fault, but I'm easy to get pulled it seems. We weren't down enough (50-41 at the half) to switch what we've been doing in a five-game win streak. That's what we did and we paid for it."

Brand is a class act and refuses to throw Jordan under the bus but he hasn't been able to control his body language when queried about playing time all season.

"Maybe they're getting prepared for something else," Brand added.

Jordan actually admitted his gaffe after the game.

"I went with a small lineup and it sort of backfired," Jordan said. "It happens."

Actually it didn't have to happen if Jordan didn't coach basketball like a 10-year old with Attention Deficit Disorder.